Flymo Mini Trim ST Electric Grass Trimmer, 230 W, Cutting Width 21 cm

Product Information

This model features two cutting speeds: Eco and Turbo. To use, hold in the ‘on' button for a few seconds and it will default to Eco mode which is ample for most strimming needs. If the grass is really long or straw like, switch it to Turbo mode and it’ll slice through it like butter. It comes with a 20 V 5Ah li-ion battery and charger included. The battery life is 33 minutes which is reasonable, and it only takes about 90 minutes to recharge, which isn’t bad at all. If you’ve only got a small garden, you shouldn’t need more than 30 minutes battery life, but you may prefer a larger battery for bigger spaces.

The Einhell GC-CT Cordless Strimmer comes with a 2.0Ah battery. Manufactured in Germany, this strimmer has been designed to keep lawn edges and flowerbeds tidy, whilst enabling you to cut hard-to-reach areas of your garden. The Flymo Contour Cordless 20V Li Grass Trimmer is an easy to use cordless strimmer. It comes with a trimmer line already fitted so there’s no need to waste time fitting it yourself. Like all strimmers, this model requires some assembly but everything you need is in the box and it’s all pretty self evident though you may struggle at first working out the orientation of the plastic protector. This high-end 2-in-1 model ships with a 40cm auto-feed twin nylon line for general trimming duties and a wide cutting blade for dealing with brambles, thistles and other unruly weeds. You can adjust the shaft, handle, and head, and it has an edging function as well as a satisfactory cutting diameter of 25 cm. The only downside is how flimsy the plastic blades feel, although I tried to remain optimistic that they’d be up to the job.It’s not just the low weight that helps here, it’s the clever design of the GT50’s adjustable handle and cutting assembly. The whole thing is so well dialled, ergonomically speaking, that it feels like an extension of your arms. That’s one good reason for consideration before we even touch on arguably the best bit – the cutting method. Protective clothing such as ear defenders for louder motors with more power can be useful, particularly if the job is going to take a while. This is particularly relevant for a petrol strimmer, but certain electric trimmers can also be very loud.

As with a lot of things, personal preference will likely dictate whether you choose a mains-powered or battery-powered strimmer. It also depends on the job you are doing, whether you need slightly more power with a mains-powered option, or prioritise the freedom of cordless tools. A design which is slowly growing in popularity, bladed strimmers generally have two nylon blades on the head of the strimmer which spin at speed. As they spin, they generate a lot of cutting power. You’ll need to choose between two types of cutting mechanism: cutting line or cutting blades. Choose cutting blades for convenience . Particularly if you’ve grown tired of feeding the cutting line through when it breaks. Cutting blades need to be changed after every few hours of use.If you don’t wear the battery all the way down, you’re unlikely to need to recharge it before using it again; the lithium-ion batteries used in cordless tools hold their charge relatively well. Of course, charging before use will make sure that you get the most run-time possible from your cordless machine. Straps and safety harnesses. A shoulder strap or safety harness is an excellent bonus feature. It takes some of the weight of the tool, making it more comfortable to use, and also helps balance it, for better manoeuvrability and a more precise cut. Design: To be ranked high, models needed to demonstrate the right balance between weight and power. Cordless strimmers weighing 2.5 kg were best for long-term use as well as short bursts of activity, so they were rated higher than heavier models. For strimmers weighing more than 3 kg, we assessed whether the design accommodated this, such as with a harness. Designs with adjustable cut paths (ideally 25 – 30 cm) were rated higher as they could be used for both lawns and more difficult places, like in between bushes, improving the versatility of the strimmer.